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The Talmud teaches us that words when kindly employed
represent the majestic character of its user and when unkindly
used, the converse. In ancient Babylon, the wise men
said "a word is worth one coin and silence is worth two".
This statement does not advocate speechlessness as it
does the selective use of words. The profundity of ancient
wisdom echoed in the words of the sages of Babylon is obvious
and explained by the late Rabbi A. Y. Karelitz. If he or
she is to exercise speechlessness, from sunrise to sunset
they have earned but only two coins. Where in speech
every single word earns one coin. Greatness of silence is in
the restraining of nature's reflex not to use offensive, aggressive
and damaging words. Substitution with gentle, kind
and comforting words "speaks of silence". Silence, not as
inactivity but as a virtuous verb controlled by the conviction
of good character. A discretionary choice of words spoken
is what constitutes "true use" of the beauty of words. indiscriminate
use of words is what constitutes "true use" of the
ugliness of man to harm and to kill through gossip.
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For those who are slow to give up those long and hazy days of summer, the Jewish calendar has a way of quickly shaking you out of summer slumber and once again presenting the weighty proposition of crowning the Malchei Melachim. I can think of nothing more diametrically opposed than walking into shul one morning still thinking about sipping a tall refreshing drink while reclining in some bucolic spot, to hearing the sound of the shofar on Rosh Chodesh and reciting "L'Dovid Hashem Ori." We quickly realize that the themes of summer, namely those of laziness and "free-spiritedness," are the hallmark of the Yetzer Hara and need to be shaken off and discarded. Embedded in our Yetzer is the notion that averos bring a sense of liberation and freedom. The reality (and bracha) is that the averos themselves can awaken one to teshuva, "There you will serve gods, the handiwork of man, of wood and stone... From there you will seek Hashem, your G-d, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Devarim 4/ 28, 29). It is precisely via the terrible avera of avoda zara (and b'zman hazeh this can come be many guises) that one can return to Hashem, even through sin one has the gates of the mitzvas asay of teshuva wide open to him. With the last gasps of summer gone and the Yomim Noraim upon us, we are confronted with the challenge of renewal and self-examination, "renew your actions in the first month" (Vayikra Rabba 29) so, while the fact that Elul is here is very apparent in the Bais Medrash of Kol Yaakov, in the world outside the Yeshiva it is easy for the Yomin Noraim to sneak up on you. To that end, Kol Yaakov and Horizons are renewing and strengening our efforts to bringing some of the spirit of the Yeshiva to the greater Kol Yaakov family. In addition to quarterly newsletters, Kol Yaakov/Horizons will be entering the 21st century by launching a new web site and inaugurating weekly e-mailings containing Divre Torah and Halacha from the Rosh Yeshiva and others. Also, stay tuned for an alumni weekend Yarchei Kallah in Monsey and a retreat being planned in an area resort. To be included on our e-mail list, please forward your e-mail to djacobs@horizons.edu. K'siva V'chasima Tova.
For my so-called bar mitzva, I gave an oral report on the Ethiopian Jews. No Torah, no mitzvos, no mention of God. My radical Sunday school in LA reduced Judaism to history, art, food, and left-wing politics. But on the bright side, the sense of purpose with which they tied Judaism to fighting for the underdog left me a pilot light of Jewish identity that would later reach out to more substantial fuel. As a history major at UC Berkeley, I struggled with the questions like "How am I supposed to live?" and "How can I make the world a better place?" I invested my energies in political and environmental movements and got involved running Berkeley's large consortium of student housing cooperatives. I envisioned a utopian future of cooperative communities growing their own organic food, building their own communal homes, and bartering products of their cooperative workshops. Vegetarianism and bicycle commuting were my big mitzvos. But every vehicle I chose just spun its wheels. The political groups gave me much to hate but nothing to love. The utopian attempts were often stymied by unacknowledged realities of human nature-what I'd now call the yetzer hara. My first venture back into Yiddishkeit was through a very alternative movement that calls itself "Jewish Renewal." The singing, newly-authored prayers, and creative "midrash" were interesting, but I wondered, "What are they renewing, anyway?" Not ready for an Orthodox shul, I joined up with a Carlebach-style "chevre," with whom I finally embraced Yiddishkeit and became shomer mitzvos in that rainbow-kippah kind of way. Eventually I knew I had to leave Berkeley if I was to go any further-somewhere where I could learn how to learn, surround myself with b'nei Torah, and get a periodic kick in the pants to grow. At Kol Yaakov I soon found that through the scary sea of black ran familiar currents of idealism- except that here the outlet was perfecting oneself, not everyone else. In Rabbi Tropper I fulfilled my long quest for a role model. From experience I had rationalized that the trade-off for getting a dynamic leader was getting a self-centered mushchat. Rabbi Tropper showed me that one can reach out and affect others while still demanding perfection of oneself. With the bochurim, I had to expand myself beyond my like-minded Berkeley clique to be friends with the most diverse group I had ever known: Russians, Israelis, teenagers, singers, soldiers.and, my biggest challenge, conservatives-- all different masks over the same upward struggle through the muck of our angers, fears, and pasts. Sometimes I go to bed frustrated with learning or disappointed by shidduchim; but I have the peace of mind that I am on the right path, surrounded by the right chaverim, and guided by the right rabbaim. My future feels secure, realistic, and based on a road map you can't get at the AAA. Thank you Rabbi Tropper and Kol Yaakov!
Our goal at Horizons is to spread the knowledge and love of Torah and to gather some of those sparks that still can be found in the assimilated Jewish world. In recent months Rabbi Tropper and Horizons have impacted Jewish communities across the length and breath of the country and beyond. In this case, beyond, means Hamilton, Canada. Rabbi Tropper along with 9 bochurim from Kol Yaakov spent a week there giving shiurim, learning b'chavrusa with members of the community and bringing the ruach of Monsey to this suberb of Toronto. Rabbi Tropper also delivered several of his acclaimed lectures to the Hamiltonians. Rounding out the year 5763, Horizons will be slipping in another trip the week before Rosh Hashana, this time, to San Francisco to spend Shabbos at the Bay Area Torah Institute headed by Kol Yaakov alumnus Rabbi Yaakov Barros. Rabbi Tropper will also be delivering a shiur in Berkeley while in the Bay Area. Upcoming endeavors include an invitation by the Newburgh, NY community for Horizons to come in and spark some awareness and enthusiasm in Yiddishkeit. We will be kicking off our outreach there with event in November which will feature Rabbi Tropper's sister-in-law, Mrs. Susan Blond who will be reprising the well-received lecture she gave in Monsey of her fascinating journey to Torah observance. This will inaugurate, IY''H, a long-term relationship with Newburgh. After that it's on to Ellenville, NY, Boston, MA, Bethlehem, PA and southern Maryland. In the coming school year, Horizons will also be increasing our presence on college campuses across the county. In our cross-hairs are the campuses at Albany, Syracuse, and University of Florida, to name just a few. If you feel your community or a community you know could benefit from one of Rabbi Tropper's inspiring and warm lecture, please contact us at (845) 425-3863 or info@Horizons.edu To receive a weekly e-mail with Divrei Torah and
Halacha from Kol Yaakov, or to inform us of
your simchos, send an e-mail to:
djacobs@horizons.edu or call us (845) 425-3863.
1. In the month of Tishrei, we do not sanctify the new moon until Motzei Yom HaKipurim. Some opinions suggest that we should do it before Yom HaKippurim. 2. Before sanctifying the new moon, on Motzei Yom Hakippurim, one should break the fast. 3. Women are exempt from the mitzvah of sanctifying the new moon. 1. Rama O.C. 426-2, Mahril (laws of Aseres Yemey
Teshuva), Levush ibid No. 4-Mateh Ephraim ibd
No. 46. 2. Mateh Ephraim 624-4-Mishnah Berura argues (see M.B. 426-11 in the name of Chaye Adam) 3. Mogen Avrohom 426. In name of Sheloh Hakalosh Mishna Br. Ibid-1. Horizons has dramatically enhanced its ability to reach out to our lost Jewish brethren by merging with the Lillian Jean Kaplan Jewish Pride Through Education Project. Funding provided by this program has afforded Horizons the ability to greatly expand its outreach efforts by increasing funding for marketing and personnel. Also, through such programs as the Nathaniel Berger Israel Incentive Program, Horizons has also been able to expand the scope of its efforts to facilitate the return of Jewish
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